Conventionally, there is used a washing machine which includes an operation panel having various operation buttons and operation keys. For example, there is developed a washing machine including a display device which displays a washing course including a series of steps such as washing, rinsing and spin-drying on a screen of an operation panel, and a surface touch detector which detects a touch on each step portion displayed on the screen, and which can change a setting of a step portion for which a touch is detected, based on a detection result of this screen touch detector (e.g. PTL 1). This washing machine can cause the display device to simultaneously display a state after a setting of this step portion is changed when changing the setting of the step portion for which the touch is detected.
Meanwhile, when a user causes a home appliance to operate based on a manual setting according to a user's preference, generally, various setting items are set using an input section such as a switch, and the operation is started. For example, a washing machine usually carries out an operation action by setting an operation strength or setting an operating time according to an amount or fabric quality of clothes as washing targets.
More specifically, setting the operation strength of the washing machine includes setting a washing method such as the number of times of rotations of a motor which rotates a pulsator provided in a washing tub and a reversing action, and setting a water temperature in the case of an example of a washing step. Further, setting an operating time is to set a time to execute a washing step. Meanwhile, in the case of an example of a rinsing step, setting an operation strength is to set a rinsing method of rinsing clothes while pouring water or the like. Further, setting an operating time is to set the number of times of rinsing, for example. Setting the strength of a spin-drying step is to set the number of times of rotations of a motor of a washing tub, and setting a time is to set a spin-drying time.